Beto outlines what he keeps telling everyone about his first Everton season that makes them call him ‘crazy’

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Everton, under Kevin Thelwell’s guidance, have been a club certainly operating with far more intelligence.

Their signings make sense and fit a new, youth-focused profile, whilst the sales made are necessary and usually bring about solid, useful chunks of money.

It is likely this renewed sense of long-term strategy that has most fans so pleased with the club, despite recent reservations over Dan Friedkin’s failed takeover.

Beto is one such example of intelligent recruitment, however the reasons behind his successful first season are actually reserved largely for what he offered off the pitch rather than on it.

Beto reviews his first full Everton season

Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, the Portuguese striker has been reviewing what he deemed as a disappointing first season on Merseyside.

Wishing he had played more, and taken his chance when given it by Sean Dyche, he has promised fans that the best is still yet to come.

That is, despite rumours emerging linking Beto with an Everton exit.

These comments are not that of a player desperate to depart though, as he actually outlines what he has been telling everyone which has drawn stunned looks.

He revealed, when asked if he was pleased with his first campaign: ‘No. I say this to everybody, and everybody says ‘You are crazy, it was your first season’. It is because I am competitive. It was a hard season for Everton but it was a really good season because of all of the problems that we had. So for us players, as a team, it was a good season [having overcome those problems].

‘But for me, personally, no. I wanted to play more minutes. I wanted to score more goals. In my mind, when I played, even when I played less minutes, I had chances, but I didn’t finish them. So for me, it wasn’t a good season and, yeah, now I’m here and I’m ready to put my better version on it. I want to play and I will do everything to play and score.’

Beto provided so much for Everton off the pitch

Whilst he might be disappointed with his performances on the pitch, he will likely never understand just how much he offered off it.

After all, his mere presence has provided the foundation that Dyche needed to return one of his most important players back to full fitness.

Before Beto came, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was suffering from unending injuries, never able to play more than a handful of matches before enduring another lengthy lay-off.

However, when this former Udinese marksman arrived, that pressure on the Englishman was lifted.

Allowed ample time to recover properly, he eventually returned to play 26 out of 27 Premier League games during one mid-season spell, even if his form faltered.

So, despite Beto’s tally of five goals underwhelming, just by being there he has allowed Calvert-Lewin to reignite his Everton career.

Now, the two can truly wage a proper battle next season for the starting spot.